Editing the Sego Lily School website, I came across this article I wrote about 8 years ago. It's worth a read, or a re-read, if I do say so myself. I was reminded not only of the beauty of the four-square games played, or the lessons I learned from playing & watching, but also of the daily ways these lessons play out here every day. Enjoy!

Gathered on the pavement is a long line of people –young, old, in various states of fitness and with varying amounts of energy and talent. Each one is watching the game intently – four male staff members, from different schools, are engaged in the most aggressive, competitive four square game you could imagine. The ball is being slammed with full force from one player to the next; men are diving from within inches of the asphalt. Suddenly one misses, and with cheers from the crowd, he walks to the end of the line.

Into the first square steps a little girl in a pink dress – probably five years old, maybe even younger. Her blonde curls bob as she takes her place in the game, grinning from ear to ear. The remaining three men become instantly calm, as one gently serves to another. The ball is lightly tapped over to the girl, who is so busy smiling she misses. She happily skips to the back of the line, and waits for her next turn.

Another girl steps in – this one probably twelve or thirteen. The energy picks back up a little – but no where near the level it was originally. The girl plays well, she advances a square, and soon there are three young teens and one staff member left. People of all ages and abilities take their turns in the game, and each one brings a slightly different level of energy and competition to the game.

This was a daily scene at the Sudbury Valley Summer Conference. Four square was a gathering point at every meal and break. Approximately 200 adults and 95 children gathered at Sudbury Valley in July for five days of workshops, lectures, networking and socializing – and four square. I mention the game, not only because it was so much fun to watch and participate in – but because the game, and the way it was being played completely demonstrates the way our schools work. Here is what I mean:

Rules: Four square, like our schools, has very clear rules. Lines are drawn, and each player must stay within those lines in order to participate. If you violate the rules, you loose your privilege to play, and you have to wait until your next turn to play again. Sort of like our JC – when you break a rule, something happens (we call this consequence a ‘sentence’), and it often results in a lack of privilege to ‘play’ – you must spend 10 minutes picking up trash instead of doing what you want to be doing, for example.

Social Interaction: In the game of four square, people had to adjust themselves to the group with which they were playing and interacting. There wasn’t any conversation happening in the game – you didn’t hear people saying, “Oh, we have a little one in the square, everyone be gentle.” It just happened. And everyone was conscious to the adjustments that needed to be made – it kept the game fair and fun. Our schools are like this – when people of all ages are interacting with one another all of the time, we learn to speak in ways that communicate to each person. Staff at our schools don’t expect the five year olds to behave like the sixteen year olds, yet we give them all of the same opportunities and responsibilities, allowing for their developmental differences in our interactions.

Competition: I don’t think I have ever watched a game in which people REALLY wanted to win – and yet there was no crying, whining, or complaining when anyone came out of the game. Everyone tried his or her hardest, yet no one experienced a loss of power when they didn’t do as well as they liked. This is the spirit that we try to create in our schools. Its important to do one’s best at everything in life – why would you bother doing something that you weren’t going to put your heart into? We also want our students to know that you don’t always win at everything you try, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from trying.

Learning Curve: Some of the people at the conference had never played four-square before. Some of them, who were from Jerusalem and Holland, had never even seen the game. And of course there were experts, and everything in between. The rules were explained to our new players (and interpreted into other languages when necessary), and as people developed their skills they were reminded of rules, coached in their playing, and given helpful hints along the way. Our way of ‘teaching’ here is much the same. When a student wants to learn something, we assess their level of competency, give them some basics, and then ask how they want to proceed. We give coaching and hints along the way, and if they ask for more help they get it.

I could go on. I was mesmerized by the game, and spent hours musing on the parallels that were being exhibited while it was being played. It was only one of the many wonderful experience I had that week. The privilege of spending five days with people who are fully committed to our model of education was an experience I will never be fully able to put into words, and I am in the process of writing up everything I learned that will help forward what we are up to at Sego Lily School.

I did take my turn in the square one morning. Four female staff started the game, and I was the first one to get out. I’m not good at four-square, and to be honest I have never had the motivation to really try or learn. But I did want to be able to say that I had participated in the game – that I had tried, and that I had participated in such a beautiful example of inclusion, healthy competition, and play.